5000 Mark Papiermark #195

Front

Albrecht Dürer (1471–1528), German Renaissance artist and printmaker from Nuremberg. Dürer was one of the most important figures of the Northern Renaissance, renowned for his engravings, paintings, and theoretical writings on art and mathematics; his self-portrait appears on this inflation-era banknote as a symbol of German cultural achievement. The note is dated 'Berlin, den 2. Dezember 1922' and bears the text stating it is legal tender payable by the Reichsbank hauptkasse in Berlin, valid from 1 April 1923 onwards and exchangeable under certain conditions for other payment instruments.

Back

Ornamental guilloche pattern with the denomination 'Fünftausend Mark' (Five Thousand Mark) in Gothic script within decorative borders. The reverse features intricate geometric security printing patterns typical of Weimar-era German banknotes, with the denomination repeated at corners alongside the imperial eagle motif. A warning text at bottom states that counterfeiting will be punished with imprisonment.

History

This 5000 Mark note was issued during the hyperinflation period of the Weimar Republic (1922–1923), when the Papiermark collapsed due to war reparations, economic crisis, and excessive money printing. By December 1922, inflation was already severe; within a year, the currency became virtually worthless, with trillion-mark notes issued in 1923. The Papiermark was replaced by the Rentenmark in November 1923 at a rate of 1 Rentenmark = 1 trillion Papiermark. This series features prominent German cultural figures as a means of projecting national pride during economic catastrophe. P-81 is among the most common hyperinflation notes and is widely available to collectors.